July 2012: Now Boarding Opens, a Summer of Design Begins, Art in Motion Symposium and Other Highlights

The exclusive North American showing of Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective is almost over. July 8 is the final day to see the stunning collection of more than 200 of Saint Laurent’s iconic haute couture outfits.

To accommodate end-of-show demand, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) is offering expanded hours for the exhibition June 28 through July 8. Yves Saint Laurent will be open until 9 p.m. with the exception of Monday, July 2, when the museum is closed, and July 4, when hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special dated and timed tickets may be purchased onsite, by phone by calling 720-913-0130 or online at www.YSLdenver.com.

An exhibition that will change how travelers view airports and their design, Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + The Architecture of Flight takes visitors on a journey through the history of airports aided by film, digital art, animation, models, drawings, photographs and a full-scale architectural element. Visitors will travel through six airports designed by Denver-based Fentress Architects: Denver International Airport, South Korea's Incheon International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Mineta San Jose International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. Now Boarding will be on view through October 7 and is included in general admission.

Exhibition curator Donald Albrecht will lead two tours on opening day. These special tours at 1 and 2:30 p.m. are included in general museum admission; space is limited and will be on a first-come basis. Throughout the exhibition, 45-minute public tours of Now Boarding will be offered daily at 1 p.m. Those tours also will be free with general admission and no reservations are required.

Open For Design: A DAM Community Challenge Drop Off Day

July 28, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

The museum’s first exhibition comprised entirely of pieces created by our visitors, Open For Design: A DAM Community Challenge asks participants to transform an everyday object or material into something that makes their neighborhoods better. All works must meet certain size guidelines and material restrictions. Pre-register your design on the museum website and then bring it to the DAM on July 28. Be in line by 4 p.m. to drop off your creation, then see it on display in the Anschutz Gallery in the Hamilton Building as part of the Open For Design exhibition, opening August 4. For full details, visit www.denverartmuseum.org/openfordesign.

Experience unique offerings from Colorado’s ever-growing design community this summer in Design Lab: Three Studios featuring DoubleButter, MATTER and tres birds workshop. Utilizing inventive approaches to architecture and design, the installations in this exhibition challenge the rules of traditional design practices and illuminate the process of constructing an object, a space or the components of information. Recognized for their pursuit of alternative design strategies, the three studios will present distinct installations that offer a glimpse into the design process, providing insight into how concepts evolve from initial spark to final form. Design Lab: Three Studios will be on view through September 2 and is included in general admission.

Untitled #49 (Ideate)

July 27, 6-10 p.m.

Celebrate Colorado design as you help solve neighborhood design dilemmas, take part in a mass skill swap and talk solutions with local design experts. Take part in a detour, laugh at the latest installment of Buntport Theater’s Joan and Charlie Discuss Tonight’s Theme, listen to local music and more. Untitled is included with general admission to the museum, which is two-for-one with valid student ID during the event. Cash bar. Made possible by the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). For details, visit www.denverartmuseum.org.

Art In Motion: Native Arts Symposium

July 14, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

The symposium will focus on Native American explorations of time, place and thought and explore how motion plays a role in American Indian arts. Through the analysis of 2-D, 3-D and time-based media, this symposium will study in broad ways how movement and change express themselves, with motion interpreted to include physical movement, exchange and shifts in ideas and practices. Invited speakers include both Native artists and scholars who have made substantial contributions to the development and study of Native American art. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Tickets $20–$35 for non-members; discounts for DAM members. Optional box lunch available for an additional $15. To register, visit https://tickets.denverartmuseum.org or call 720-913-0130.

Insider Moment: Printmaker Melanie Yazzie’s DAM Inspiration

July 25, 1 p.m.

Artist-in-residence Melanie Yazzie is printing, painting and sculpting in the museum this summer. Join master teacher Heather Nielsen for an Insider Moment with the Boulder-based artist and hear what inspires her in the DAM’s American Indian art collection, take a peek inside her studio and hear about the sculpting process Yazzie is using to create 18 wood panels during her residency. The Insider Moment is free with general admission and no reservations are needed. Meet on level three of the North Building in the American Indian art galleries.

Conversation with Curator:Spanish Colonial Fashion

July 6, 4 p.m.

Explore Spanish Colonial fashion from cochineal to crinolines with Patricia Tomlinson from the New World art department. Conversations with Curators feature lively discussions with different curators on the first Friday of every month. The program is free with general admission and no reservations are needed. Meet at 4 pm on level four of the North Building. For information, call 720-913-0130.

Free First Saturday

July 7, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

On the first Saturday of every month, you can enjoy our art collections and non-ticketed exhibitions without spending a dime! Free general admission tickets are available on-site starting at 10 a.m. (Special exhibition ticket required for Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective.) Free First Saturdays are sponsored by Target and made possible by the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

Artist Klaus Bosch, creator of the Rainbow Vision Sand Pictures, will be in the Hamilton Shop to meet visitors and share his vision and process of creating Rainbow Vision Sand Pictures. Bosch will have artist cards to sign and give to visitors during the event (while supplies last). Free; no reservations required. For more information, call 720-865-4488.

Create Playdate: Pop

July 11, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Drop in with your little ones, aged 3 to 5, and meet up with other tots and their grownups for storytime, artmaking and more! Create Playdates are included with general admission and no reservations are required. For more information, e-mail familyprograms@denverartmuseum.org or call 720-913-0130.

Summer Fun Through August 26

The DAM’s newly remodeled Family Activity Cart will be out daily through the summer. Stop by to check out a Family Backpack or Art Tube to explore the galleries. Don’t forget to visit the new Just For Fun Center, or try some of the many hands-on games and activities throughout the museum. Admission for kids five and younger is always free.